The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13
\ GEN. sHER1DAN's RESIDENCE.

relieved by masses of dark green
Virginia ivy which hang about the
sides and subdue the too brilliant
vermillion color of the brick. The
interiors are in keeping with the
beautiful effect of the outside. En-
tering the wide, deep hall you are
struck by the displayed individuality
of the owner. IDstinctively you
jump to the conclusion that he is a
soldier, for hung on the walls and
lying on splendidly carved racks are
almost every variety of life destroy
ing arms ever invented. Here are
the deadly Remingtons, the flashing
scimiters of Africa, the tomahawk
of our own Indian, and indeed the
arms of every nation are represented.
To the right you enter the parlor
and reception rooms which are
thrown into one on. Mrs. Sheridan S
Tuesdays, when the spacious rooms
are the center of attraction to the
most distinguished and fashionable
people of the capital Back of
these rooms is the large dining hal,
very spacious room finished in old
English oak and furnished with
exquisite taste. There are a number
of fine water colors by some of
the first colorists in this country and
Europe. 1t must be stated that the
General himself is more used to and
prefers the field and camp much bet
ter than the luxuries of his beauti-
full home, and so the credit Of it is
due to his beautiful and fascinating
wife, formerly Miss Irene Rucker,
daughter of Gen. Rucker, at one
time Quarter master General of the
army. At his home Sheridan is
gentle and sometimes courtly in his
manners, but'he might better be de-
scribed as bluff and honest and con-
vincing in his conversation. In fact
it is almost too much so at times.
Away from his home, however, in
the great sea of Washington social
life the General is nervous, restless,
often agitated, and always i'll at ease,
rarely taking part in conversation.
he bushes in the presence Of ladies
like a maiden in her teens, that is,
no doubt. he bushes but you cannot
see him. To the casual observer he
appears to be in one continuous
blush SO red is his complexion.
There always seem to have been an
impression among those who do not
know Gen. Sheridan personally that
he is very profane man. This idea
has been encouraged by writer's of
army anecdotes and sketches during
and since the war, representing him
as being full of lusty swagger and
strange oaths; as a type of the an
cient dragon, brandishing a thirsty
blade and calling for blood by the
bucketiul, like the old buccaneers
and roysterers of the seventeenth
century. In that remarkable poem
with which we are all familiar, Buch-
anan Read describes Sheridan as rid
ing down the lines with "a terrible
OATH" which was so soul stirring as
to bring the demoralized and scat
tered soldiers to realizing sense of
the responsibility of the occasion.
The General does not recOllect what
he said then, but has no doubt that
he used language appropriate to the
circumstances and meant precisely
what he said. On some other oc-
casions during the war, he found the
ordinary vocabulary of conversation
inadequate to his thoughts and made
use OF language that could not be
misunderstood, but the yarns about
his profanity which were SO widely
quoted at the time caused him much
annoyance.
Sheridan has q number of curious
letters on the subject. During the
war the impression that his tongue
was mint that was constantly coin
ing imprecations of unique and
awful pattern was quite general, and
grieged the hearts of great many
good people. Many of them wrote
him to express their regret. The
letters came from clergymen and
mothers of boys, who gently remon-
strated and begged him to abandon
the vicious habit, not only for his
own sake, but for the benefit of their
sons, who admired him so much and
we're inclined to initiate even the
vices of the famous soldier. The
poem on "Sheridan's Ride"l had
much to do with spreading the i'm
preston.
| asked Gen. Sheridan the other
day if he knew the author of the
poem. :,
Yes" he said, II knew him well.
first met Mr.. Reed at the head
quarters of Gen. Rosecrans,
Just before the battle of Stone river;
He was a guest of the General, and
remained in camp quite a while, so
that we all got TO know him."